Living Together with the Other: Education & Religion in a European Context 5 - 8 October 2005

1. Religion and Schooling in “The New Europe” Living Together with the Other: Education & Religion in a European Context 5 - 8 October 2005 Berlin Terrice Bassler Koga Open Society Institute terrice@koga.ro

2. Božena Jelušić Teacher, Montenegro “Hard Waking Up”

4. Stages of Cultural Competence Source: A tool from cross-cultural mental health work with refugees Cultural Proficiency Embracing and working with the Other Cultural Competence Cultural Sensitivity Understanding the Other Cultural Blindness Tolerance of the Other Cultural Incapacity Not seeing the Other Cultural Destructiveness Blaming the Other Bidirectional process; regression is always a possibility Hating the Other

5. Religious educationemerging, re-emerging topic Religious institutions and religious education previously kept out of schoolsas competing ideologyto the regime New pressures on MOEs and politicians Obstacles and threats to open society education from actual and hidden curricula, dominant school cultures

6. Voices in debate… “Religion and the Church have no place in State schools.” “Learning about the main religious tradition in our country is essential for cultural understanding and national identity.” “Religious education must be part of schooling if our society is to address the moral crisis of today’s youth.” “The topic is too controversial. We should not raise it. Let the sleeping lion lie…”

7. Patterns • Of 21 countries • Non-confessional 2 • Confessional 13 • Neither *6 • Dominance of majority Christian traditions (Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant) • Dichotomy between confessional religious education and “secular” ethics, civic education • Vast territory of unresearched policy and practice, attitudes • Distance from practice in Western Europe, different dimensions to policy debate, little or no European Commission support to general education

8. NON-EU MEMBER COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES IN SOUTH EAST EUROPE [i] Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo are presented separately, as their education systems are differentiated and their future status as sovereign is yet to be determined.

9. Key Questions & References for Policymakers: • What do we mean by religion and schooling? • What is the relationship between individual rights, religion and schooling in an open, democratic, pluralistic society? • Is there an “international convention” or “European standard” on religion and schooling in an open society? • Should teaching about religions be delivered in schools? If so, why, what and how? (Reference to CoE recommendation) • What is the appropriate role of the State (and its relation to religious institutions) with respect to religion and schooling in an open society?

10. Needs and Possible Responses Comparative references, exchange to inform policy dialogue Local reviews and research on curricula, textbooks, teaching and learning More open dialogue and local debate, informed media coverage within countries Local training teacher training capacity, plus ongoing classroom support Ongoing cross-border networks for professional development Learner centered, whole school, whole system, whole curriculum perspective Developing methodology, practical adaptable resources, modules